2025 -- H 6278
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LC002463
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S T A T E O F R H O D E I S L A N D
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2025
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H O U S E R E S O L U T I O N
PROCLAIMING APRIL 29TH OF 2025, TO BE "COMMUNITY COLLEGE O F RHODE
ISLAND DAY" AND HONO RING THE COLLEGE'S 60TH ANNIVERSARY
Introduced By: Representatives Shekarchi, Blazejewski, Chippendale, Noret, DeSimone,
Bennett, Cruz, Cortvriend, Roberts, and Sanchez
Date Introduced: April 29, 2025
Referred To: House read and passed
WHEREAS, The Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI) was founded in 1964 as 1
Rhode Island Junior College, providing a gateway to higher education for all Rhode Islanders. 2
The college welcomed its first class of 325 students at the Henry Barnard School in Providence. 3
By 1965, a section of the former Brown & Sharpe building was used for additional classroom 4
space and served as the primary facility until 1972; and 5
WHEREAS, As the state’s demand for accessible public higher education grew, so did 6
CCRI. In 1972, the Knight Campus in Warwick—built on land donated by the Knight Family—7
became the college’s flagship campus and first permanent home. The Flanagan Campus in 8
Lincoln opened in 1976, followed by the Liston Campus in Providence in 1990, and the Newport 9
County Campus in 2006, ensuring that all Rhode Islanders have access to quality education close 10
to home; and 11
WHEREAS, CCRI is celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2024-2025 with the theme 12
“Empowering Minds and Transforming Communities in Rhode Island since 1964,” recognizing 13
six decades of excellence in education, workforce development, and student success. The college 14
has grown to serve more than 40,000 Rhode Islanders annually and has an alumni network 15
exceeding 80,000 graduates; and 16
WHEREAS, As Rhode Island’s only public community college, CCRI offers more than 17
90 academic degree and certificate programs across a wide range of disciplines. Among its most 18
popular academic programs are Nursing, Business Administration, Cybersecurity, Computer 19
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Science, Criminal Justice, and the Liberal Arts; and 1
WHEREAS, CCRI has become the leading provider of skilled trades and technical 2
training in the state, serving as the primary training partner for General Dynamics Electric Boat, 3
where more than 6,000 Rhode Islanders have been trained for careers in the maritime industry. 4
The college is also home to the only Global Wind Organization Basic Safety Training Center in 5
Rhode Island, training workers to support the state’s offshore wind energy sector; and 6
WHEREAS, Due to CCRI’s commitment to workforce development, it has been 7
recognized as New England’s only Center of Excellence for Domestic Maritime Workforce 8
Training and Education by U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration 9
(MARAD), and is one of only 17 community colleges nationwide designated as an Industrial 10
Assessment Center by the U.S. Department of Energy; and 11
WHEREAS, With a strong focus on innovation and student success, CCRI has become a 12
leader in expanding college access. The college is the largest provider of full- and part-time early 13
college programs in Rhode Island, with participation in High School Enrichment, Running Start, 14
and Accelerate more than doubling since 2016. Additionally, CCRI’s P-TECH (Pathways in 15
Technology Early College High School) program has allowed students to graduate from CCRI 16
before earning their high school diplomas; and 17
WHEREAS, In recognition of its commitment to equity and student success, CCRI 18
earned the designation of Hispanic-Serving Institution in 2022, reflecting its growing role in 19
serving a diverse student body; and 20
WHEREAS, Under the outstanding leadership of Interim President Dr. Rosemary 21
Costigan, the first CCRI alumna to lead the college, CCRI continues to provide Rhode Islanders 22
with an affordable, high-quality education that leads to strong learning outcomes, successful 23
degree attainment, and meaningful careers; and 24
WHEREAS, As the college embarks on its seventh decade, CCRI remains steadfast in its 25
mission to transform lives and strengthen communities through accessible, high-quality 26
education, ensuring that Rhode Islanders continue to have pathways to socio-economic mobility 27
and success; now, therefore be it 28
RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island hereby 29
proclaims April 29th of 2025, to be "Community College of Rhode Island Day" in the State of 30
Rhode Island, in recognition of CCRI’s 60 years of excellence in education and workforce 31
development; and be it further 32
RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to 33
transmit a duly certified copy of this Resolution to Dr. Rosemary Costigan, Interim President, 34
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Community College of Rhode Island. 1
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